A Portal Special Presentation- Geometric Unity: A First Look

A Portal Special Presentation- Geometric Unity: A First Look

[alecjorns]

Eric,  

I am a nano engineering student at UCSD and recently proposed a novel geometric lattice structure composed of orthogonal struts, oriented in a Chiral manner. Using this lattice I was able to reconfigure the Fano plane used to describe the algebraic structure of Octonions. This new Fano plane is composed of two chiral components that can act independently. I would love to share these ideas with you as I have struggled to find someone able to comprehend its importance.

To the YouTube Community,

I would sincerely appreciate all replies or favorites to this comment in order to hopefully bring this to the attention of Mr. Weinstein.

Thank You
-Alec

[Cldfusion]

Now I understand how my cat feels when I talk to it.

[lionardo]

ok, let me explain how I go about this with one word that I don't understand:
eric: bla bla bla... gauge theorie...

me: googles gauge theorie
wiki: In physics, a gauge theory is a type of field theory in which the Lagrangian does not change (is invariant) under local transformations from certain Lie groups.

me: googles Lagrangian
wiki: Lagrangian field theory is a formalism in classical field theory.

me : googles formalism and classical field theory
wiki: A classical field theory is a physical theory that predicts how one or more physical fields interact with matter through field equations

me: googles Lie groups
wiki: In mathematics, a Lie group (pronounced /liː/ "Lee") is a group whose elements are organized continuously and smoothly, as opposed to discrete groups, where the elements are separated—this makes Lie groups differentiable manifolds.

me: "manifolds", yeah I heard that before... googles differentiable manifolds
wiki: In mathematics, a differentiable manifold (also differential manifold) is a type of manifold that is locally similar enough to a linear space to allow one to do calculus...

me: googles "where can I buy LSD?"

[jeretooley]

No real idea what's going on here, but it makes my YouTube history look better.

[vryc]

While the conversations with your varied list of guests has been wonderful, THIS is the juice I've been waiting for. Thank you.

[kenhiett]

I wouldn't usually spend time listening to a lecture I will have little ability to intelligably follow. However, due to the copious amount of excess time our virus has provided, (and my respect for Eric and his ideas) I'll give it a shot.

[strictlybusiness]

I cannot believe I sat here and listened to this man speak for 3 HOURS while having absolutely ZERO clue what he is talking about 😂😂😂

[roys]

There are many thousands of comments here, but I am not sure whether anyone has attempted to describe any historical background to this work. Weinstein mentions work at the Oxford Mathematical Institute from the 1970s here (and even mentions my supervisor there), so I will provide some (rough) history.
In the 1950s physicists Yang and Mills developed a generalisation of the Equations of Maxwell (for electromagnetism) suitable for the new world of quantum fields and quantum particles. What they discovered was that there was a quantum geometric symmetry - a circle - within Electromagnetism, now known as a U(1) symmetry. Their Yang-Mills theory kept the idea of the EM equations and replaced the group U(1) with potentially any such symmetry group, called by physicists a "gauge group". Ignored for a few years, physicists found the ideas worked well for groups SU(2) and SU(3) in the 1960s. Many Nobel prizes were won on the basis of related theories.
Physicists continued to try to see if these Yang-Mills ideas worked for other groups, like SU(5). However as these groups get bigger more particles are predicted and these particles or their properties failed to be validated by CERN type experiments.
Now the various ingredients of Yang-Mills theory are mathematical, and even geometric: symmetry groups, gauge invariance, field equations, etc and at Oxford mathematicians like Atiyah developed very general mathematical theorems based on this geometric set of ideas. These ideas bring in topology, manifold theory, algebra into the picture. These abstract theorems seem to have inspired Eric Weinstein (although he was not researching in Oxford, I believe).
The other major heavily geometric theory in Physics is General Relativity, based on Manifolds also. So there are similarities with the Quantum Field mathematics when expressed geometrically. However there are also differences - this is why "Quantum Gravity" has not happened or been easy. One difference is that GR uses a "metric" of a special form, but these Yang-Mills theories dont use any metric. So "Geometric Unification" would give them a metric. Going the other way abstract mathematics would introduce "Torsion" - but GR has set Torsion = 0. Overall there has to be a "uniform manifold" - which I think Weinstein has made 14 = 4 + 10 dimensional.
We are all familiar with the challenges that String theory has to justify physically its 10 or 11 dimensions, so a 14 dimensional manifold requires some justification.
Weinstein's theory also predicts a larger gauge group - I think it is Spin(10). Particle physicists will want to know whether it predicts the right particles and properties. This is a very special type of calculation done in particle physics labs rather than in geometric mathematical Institutes. So we probably don't know, unless such work is published.

[jlmer]

I don’t have the words deserving of how glad I am you a starting up your own podcast. We now don’t have to rely on others to invite you to their show, to listen to your ideas.

[Kaiser]

Eric is the most interesting voice in the world today. Very few people are brave enough to even ask the questions he is making a bold attempt to answer. Bravo to you, sir. What an inspiration to the world!

[jackkuehneman]

I now know what a dog feels when it's owner leaves the radio on when they leave

[mariocondello]

I was watching Bangbros and some how ended up here, it's amazing where life can take you !

[_Eamon]

Mr. Weinstein, I dont have a background in differential geometry, but in my quest for a Masters of Mech Engineering I have done quite a bit of linear algebra, differential equations, and dynamic systems modelling which apparently gives me enough of a vocabulary to read the wiki pages on these topics (plus my lifelong amateur interest in theoretical physics) and actually arrive at some level of understanding of what you're doing. So... though your theory might be flawed (I'm not expert enough to say), I would like to thank you for finally opening this world to me. This is a paradigmatic example of the portal. Just to give one example, I now believe I should have been told about metric spaces long before my high school physics class tried to teach time dilation. Things make much more sense now! I'm diving into your world and its very exciting! Thank you.

Edit: I have to reiterate, it really is such a beautiful way you frame the question to say can everything come from almost nothing, and then begin with x 4 and a straight jacket. Seriously we need middle schools to be playing these games!

[richardarcilla]

I just turned 50 years old, 49 minutes ago. Watching this lecture is the first thing I did for my birthday. Thanks, Eric for this sleepless night :-)!

[NewStuff]

Thank you Eric! Thank you for the courage in posting this! I know this was a huge event to announce this. Full support!

[thebluriam]

I've given up coffee and now just listen to this first thing in the morning to get my day started off right

[intrograted]

00:00 Introduction
35:12 Lecture - Introduction (Marcus Du Sautoy)
37:48 Lecture - Main Presentation
2:13:25 Supplementary Explainer

[fandlpetroleum]

I like how at one point he says "the simplest theory" then spits out a string of words that made my brain drip out of my nose.

[duncanhoward]

Well, I never thought I'd enjoy listening to nearly 3 hours of constant whooshing sounds coming from somewhere above my head... But I did!

[OPVSNOVVM]

Please bring back the Portal! We need this podcast and the truths it discusses.